Australian Council Poultry Laws State by State

Australian Council Poultry Laws State by State

A lot of good can come from raising chickens in suburbia. With proper care and attention, a flock of chickens with free reign of the backyard are an excellent green solution for weed and pest control, but those aren’t the only benefits. Chickens will also keep your garden naturally fertilised, make great pets, and do all this while happily providing you with a steady supply of fresh and yummy eggs. The question is, is what you are doing legal? Believe it or not, Australian council poultry laws are in place.

All councils in Australia are chicken-friendly and will allow you to keep a flock of chickens in your backyard, but the rules and regulations differ between each council.

Before you head off to buy your first batch of hatching eggs, you’ll prevent a lot of headaches down the line if you check your local regulations before getting started.

As you read through the regulations, you’ll likely notice that most are borne of common sense. Most councils’ rules are related to how many chickens you can keep, how the chickens are housed, and how you can keep your chickens happy and healthy. There are also a few thrown in for good measure to ensure you remain on good terms with the neighbours.

With that said, here are the laws each state will require chicken owners to adhere to; so humans, fowls, and neighbours can coexist in peace and harmony.

If you’re an aspiring chicken owner then these may help you to take a step closer to starting your own flock.

If you live in flats, units, or townhouses you are not permitted to keep any number of chickens.

Victorian Council

Residents of Victoria are allowed up to a maximum of 5 chickens, provided the backyard is big enough, the chickens have unobstructed access to water and food, they have shelter from the weather, and can move freely about the enclosure. Care should also be taken to ensure there is no threat of disruption to the surrounding neighbourhood.

Other guidelines you will need to be aware of:

The coop cannot be situated on the front setback (basically coops in front yards are not allowed), or a side setback to a side street (lanes are okay).

Coops must be set at a minimum of 2 metres from the boundary of an adjoining property of separate ownership.

Coops must be a minimum of 3 meters from a neighbouring dwelling of separate ownership.

South Australian Council

South Australian residents are only allowed a maximum of 4 chickens, which is not as many as other states but still enough to keep you well supplied in omelettes if you choose a breed known for its laying prowess. Also, unlike other states, roosters are allowed but not recommended due to noise pollution.

Other guidelines you will need to be aware of:

Chicken coops must be erected no closer than 2 meters to any boundary of a property.

They must also be a minimum distance of 15m from any dwellings, buildings, or structures.

Coops must be waterproof.

There must be 0.4m2 of floor space for every bird.

Coops must have a sound impervious floor (with concrete slabs underneath the floor being a highly recommended solution).

Northern Territory Council

The Northern Territory is perhaps the most confusing for residents wishing to keep chickens, as each property requires a property identification code regardless of whether you are keeping chickens, pigeons, or other livestock, no matter the number of animals, and even if they are considered pets.

The confusion lies in that regulations change from area to area, with some more lenient in one area, but stricter in others. Darwin, Litchfield, Palmerston, Alice Springs, or Tennant Creek have no listed bylaws regarding chicken keeping. The NT Department of Health is the authority on all things public health, and the go-to department for nuisance complaints regarding noise and odour.

The state regulations provide guidelines to follow, but even within each state, the rules can vary between councils. Simply hop onto your council’s website to check the local laws and you should have no trouble staying on the straight and narrow with your chicken keeping.

Tasmanian Council

The distance fowl must be kept from dwellings and boundaries also differs between councils. For example, in Kingborough and Brighton, the distance between the coop and the dwelling must be 12 metres, while in Hobart it is 6 metres (only applies to chickens and pigeons).

Other regulations around Tasmania include keeping the coops so that:

They are always clean and sanitary;

Birds are not able to escape from your property and have protection from predators;

Bedding, food, and manure containers are clean;

The birds do not attract flies or rodents;

Waste from the enclosure does not encroach on any of your neighbour’s properties and cannot filter into a watercourse.

Coops must be at least 35 centimetres high, doors which are at least 50 centimetres wide, and fowl must have access to food and water always.